Quarterly Industry Bulletin

Supermarket

Supermarkets remain a cornerstone of U.S. grocery shopping, but the landscape is evolving. There are 45,575 supermarkets across the U.S.—from conventional stores to supercenters and natural/gourmet markets. The average store size has slimmed down to 42,453 sq. ft., down from over 51,000 sq. ft. just a few years ago.*

*Source: FMI Food Industry Facts

Major Impacts

Supermarkets are no longer just physical stores.
Retailers are investing heavily in click-and-collect, sameday delivery, and micro-fulfillment centers to meet consumer expectations for convenience.*
Store brands have shed their “budget-only” image. Premium private-label lines from major chains like Walmart, Aldi, and Kroger are competing head-to-head with national brands.

*Source: International Supermarket News

Top Grocers*

Walmart
Amazon
Costco
Kroger
Albertson’s

*Source: National Retail Federation

Trends and Influences Within This Segment

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is one of the most influential changes in 2025. Four states began reporting in 2025. Many others are expected to join in 2026.*
A renewed focus on recyclable and compostable packaging material solutions. California’s SB 343 aims to clarify recycling labels by restricting the use of recycling symbols to materials accepted by at least 60% of the state’s programs.*
The use of Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) grew in 2025 as retailers like Walmart and Kroger embraced them to tackle pricing volatility and labor shortages. While headlines focused on the ability to change prices hundreds of times a day, the real story is efficiency and flexibility at scale.**
Stores are reimagining the front end, moving beyond traditional checkout lanes. Those impulse buys? They haven’t vanished—they’ve been relocated into “grab-and-go zones” throughout the store, blending convenience with merchandising to capture attention where shoppers linger.**

*Source: Food Navigator; **Source: Food Trade News and Food World

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Quarterly Industry Bulletin

Americans spent a total of $125.4 billion on back-to-school and back-to-college shopping in 2024.* It was expected that parents would spend a median of $628 per child on back-to-school items in 2025—the highest in four years.